A complex gauze weave. Whether plain, patterned
or combined with gold, silk gauzes such as ra, sha 紗 and ro 絽 are
known in Japan as karami-ori 搦織 (gauze fabrics). Sha is the simplest
weave; ra uses warp threads at diagonals to the weft to create intricate
designs; ro uses areas of open weave to separate strips of densely woven
material. Gauze originated in the Middle East and was made in China by 200 BC.
It was imported to Japan in the 7c, and produced there by the 8c for Buddhist
religious ceremonies and imperial coronations. Early pieces of ra and sha
in the *Shousouin 正倉院 show these fabrics were used for resist dyeing and embroidered
designs.

REFERENCES:

EXTERNAL LINKS:

NOTES:

(C)2001 Japanese Architecture and Art Net Users System. No reproduction
or republication without written permission. 掲載のテキスト・写真・イラストなど、全てのコンテンツの無断複製・転載を禁じます。